Index card



3 E. w. SIBL'EY 1,820,889

INDEX CARD Filed Nov. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Imrenioz Edward Q5261?Aug. 25, 1931. E. w. SIBLEY 1,820,889

INDEX CARD Filed Nov. 23, 1928 2 SheetsSheet 2 w M -w Patented Aug. 2 5,1931 UNITED 4 STATES PATENT OFFICE -EDWARD W. SIBLEY, OF KENMORE, NEWYORK, ASSIGNOB 1'0 REMINGTON RAND INC OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK I mnnx cmapplication filed November 22}, 1928. Serial No. 321,413,

My invention relates to index cards and methods of producing the sameand it has particular reference to an index card having a slottedportion for the reception of a similar card in order that a plurality ofcards may be assembled in nested visible relation, and to a methodwhereby such cards may be accurately made and so be caused to nest inaligned relationship.

The various principles, objects and advantages of the invention will beunderstood from a detailed description with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein;

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of two cards disposed in nestedrelationship.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a single card made in accordancewith the present invention.

Fig. 3-is a fragmentary front elevational View of a plurality of nestedcards assembled in a holding frame.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the assembly shown inFig. 3.

Fig. 5. is a transverse cross-sectional view 5 of the assembly shown inFig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan View of a sheet of stock partiallyprocessed according 4 tothe present invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary. side elevational view of the sheet with cuttingdies disposed adjacent thereto, and

Fig. 8 is a schematic plan view of appara tus for processing the cards.

It has heretofore been proposed to manufacture index cards which areVisible when nested in assembled relationship,'by providing apluralityof rectangular cards, such as referred to by the referencenumeral 10 in Fig. 2, which cards are provided with slots 11 definingtongues 12 having a reentrant portion 13. The manner of nesting thecards is indicated in Fig. 1 wherein the card 10, shown in Fig. 2, issuperimposed upon a similar card 14, with the portion 15 of the card 14disposed above the tongue 12 of the card 10. In assembling a pluralityof cards upon a frame, such as that indicated by the reference numeral16 in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the re entrant tongues 13 engage lugs 17 on theso frame 16 and the cards 10 may also engage a recess 18 disposed at oneedge of the frame 16. As so far described, there has been presentedmerely a known manner of forming and assembling index cards.'

Heretofore, such cards have been provided with a continuous orstraight-line lower edge, a portion of which is indicated in Fig. 2 bythe reference numeral 21. In the ordinary manufacture of these cards, ithas been found that the distance between the lower extremities of theslots 11 and the edge 21 is a variable; that is to say, the distanceindicated by the dimension A plus or minus X varies within rather widelimits. The variation in limits results in the cards mounted upon theframe 16 becoming canted or tilted or misaligned so that when aplurality of cards are assembled, extreme difliculty is encountered inholding them in their proper relationshi The present invention hasparticular reference to-a card so constructed as to avoid thismisalignment and to permit of a more rigid interlocking of the cards,and further, the present invention has particular reference to anefficient method by means of which the cards may be so formed as topermit of definite alignment when subsequently assembled.

As indicated, in Fig. 2, for example, a card made in accordance with thepresent invention is so constructed as to have a fixed distance Abetween the lower extremities of the slots 11 and the lower edge 22 ofthe card 10. This fixed dimension is obtained by providing a pluralityof recesses in the lower edge of the card 10, the extremities of whichare all definitely spaced from the lower extremities of the slots 11.

When so constructed, a rear card 14 interengages the card 10 at theoverlapping tongue portions as shown in Fig. 1, and since the lowerrecessed edge of the card 14 seats upon the lower extremity of the slot11, and slnce the distance between these extremities is constant, thecard 14 is accurately aligned upon the card 10 and misalignment of astack of cards is therefore avoided. It will be further noted'thatlongitudinal play of the cards may also be limited by employing recesses22,

the lateral edges 23 of which serve as stops m means of guides 29,- utit 'willbe understood that because of the nature of the paper stock anaccurate uiding action, in and of -1 tself suflicient to ign the paper,is not readily ob tainable. However, an alignment satisfac- {myfor'thepresent' purpose may be so obtained. Disposed above the platen 27is a number of cutting dies, including a smallrectan lar die 31 and twoairs of slot cutting. ies

go 32 and 33, all of which are fixed'with respect to each other. Thesedies are readily secured in a reciprocatin member in a manner wellunderstood in t e art. Disposed between each pair of dies 32 or 33 aretwo additional dies 34 and 35 which are aligned longitudinally with thedie 31 and which are fixedly spaced on their outer faces from the inneredges of the respective dies 32' or '33. It is quite necessary that theouter faces of the dies 34 and 35 be spaced a uniform fixed distancefrom the inner edges of the dies 32 and 33, for, by reference now toFig. 6, it will be seen that these dies cut the sheet to provide theslotted portions 11 and the fixed dis :5 tances A, which are requiredfor correct alignment. It will. of course, be understood that thedistanceC intermediate any pairof longitudinal dies need not be heldconstant and that from a practical standpoint, it is merely suflicientif a line. drawn from one hole 37 made by the die 31 to the next hole 38made by the same die. passes through the recesses formed by the dies 34and 35. Along those portions indicated by the character 0, the loweredge may have a random distance from a line defining the lowerextremities of the recesses 11, but directly beneath the recesses, thedistance must be constant.

Having assembled the various dies in the manner indicated. a sheet ofmaterial is fed beneath them and all the dies are simultaneously driventhrough the paper. This mom 1 and at substa'ntiall right angles throu' ht e a erture 38. here s according y forme a air of cards as indicated inthe right-ha'n ortion of Fi 6, each of which will nest in t e-other andproperly aligned by reason of the fixed distance between the bottom ofthe slots 11 and the inner edge of the recesses 22.

It"will(i of course, be understood that various mo ifications may bemade in the herein described embodiment of the inventlon and that cardsof various sha es and intend-- ed for various uses may be ormed accordinto the present method.

hat is claimed is: v 1. An index card comprising a card having aplura-lit of slots definin securing tongues ing the lower extremities ofthe slots at points remote from'the slots.

2. An index card comprising a card having a plurality of invertedU-shaped slots defining securing tongues formed along the lower edge ofthe card, and recesses formed in said lower edge directly beneath theextremities of the slots, the distance between the extremities of theslots and adjacent recesses being fixed and uniform, the distance ofremaining portions of the lower edge froma line joining the lowerextremities of the slots being a random distance.

EDWARD W. SIBLEY.

operation makes a blank such as shown in the left-hand portion of Fig.6. The sheet is then moved along the platen 27 the length of a card, andthe newly presented section of sheet is stamped in a similar manner. Atthe same time, the first section of sheet is again out into two portionsto form two cards of the character heretofore described. For thispurpose, there is provided a pair of knives, one of which, 39, cutslongitudinally between the holes 37 to. 38, and through the severalholes formed by the dies'34 and 35 05 A further di 41 cuts the sheettransverse-v

